The Affair
by SweetFaith06
Summary: When Sora realizes that her husband Matt has been messing around with Mimi, she can't help but be jealous. When Tai reenters her life, however, she reexperiences excitement long forgotten. In the end, whom will she choose? Her lover...or her best friend?
1. An Old Friend

**A/N:** Hey! I decided to go safe and deleted "The Deal", so that's why it's gone, in case you were wondering, but you can still read it on Thanks so much for the reviews, though! They were MUCH appreciated! This fic, however, is something completely different. I wanted to try a sweet romance instead of a hardcore one, and this IS an **AU** fic, so if things don't exactly seem right, that's because they're not exactly like the TV series. For example, I don't like how everyone looked when they grew up—it seemed so unrealistic how they changed so drastically—so just picture them like they were in the 2nd season. That, and nobody has any children…they're all either married or single. Got it? That's basically the extent of the AU, besides the fact that there won't be any Digimon involved in this—well—for now, anyway. I doubt that I'll drag them into it. Welp…hope you enjoy! PLEASE R&R!

**CH 1**

_"I could do it...I could just end all of this right now,"_ Sora Ishida found herself realizing as she stared down at the magnificent view of Tokyo from beneath her company, _Demure Amor. "Just one little jump and I could find myself flying towards the unknown..."_

"My _God,_ what am I _thinking?", _she wailed aloud, clapping a beautifully manicured hand over her delicate features before sinking down into her over-stuffed executive's chair with an exasperated sigh. Casting her dejected gaze over toward the picture frame positioned directly beside her elbow, Sora couldn't help but let out a groan and slam it down face-first so that she didn't have to look at her husband.

The whole truth of the matter was that her marriage with Matt was falling apart, yet neither wanted to openly admit it to the other. Their entire relationship had been built on pride, thus why it was the sole element that still held them together.

Sora would never admit it, yet she had become quite the nagging, worrywart sort of wife ever since she had discovered that most of the calls that Matt had made on his cell phone over the past few months were to her best friend, Mimi Tachikawa.

Mimi was a very beautiful, talented young actress on Broadway and was clearly on her way to the top, which was exactly what Matt's excuse had been for calling her all those times. According to her husband, he was merely offering her moral support and congratulating her on a job well done. Sora, being the naturally trusting woman that she was, had accepted his excuse without even giving him a full-blown interrogation, thus allowing their lives to go on as if nothing had ever happened. Until now...

Matt had recently scheduled an appointment that would take him out of town for about two weeks, yet he had neglected to realize that their anniversary laid within that very timeframe. This hurt Sora deeply, yes, yet she didn't want to be a bother and kept her mouth shut. After all, she was still very much in love with her husband and wanted to believe that he wasn't at all capable of ill-will or adultery. If her suspicions turned out to be faulty, she would be accused of being a terrible wife, and she most certainly could _not_ let that happen.

_"Mrs. Ishida?"_

Sora glanced down disinterestedly at her intercom, then sighed. "Yes?"

_"A Mr. Kamiya is here to see you...he says he's got a dress that you will be very interested in purchasing."_

Sora couldn't help but gasp upon hearing that name...Kamiya.

_Tai_ Kamiya.

Yes, it had been several years since she had been blessed to see her best friend's cocksure, smiling face, yet why now, of all times? And with a _dress?_ Since when was Tai involved in the fashion industry? Oh, God, had he possibly turned _gay?_

_"Ma'am?"_

"Oh!", Sora exclaimed, immediately being brought back to reality. "Yes, Olivia...send him up. Send him up right away!"

Switching her intercom off without so much as a goodbye to her diligent employee, Sora anxiously leaned back in her chair and stared at the two double doors before her, subconsciously chewing the inside of her cheek as she found herself wondering what he could possibly look like. After all, it _had_ been six years, and people tended to change drastically over such a large timeframe.

Would he be just as handsome as his teenage years? Tall? Fat? Possibly bald? That very thought alone caused the redhead to let out an unexpected titter, fore picturing her best friend with a bald spot amidst his massively wild hair was enough to bring her rolling on the floor with delight.

"Um..._hello?"_

Sora froze, her gaze suddenly locking with the young man's that was peering in cautiously from behind the double doors, her throat seemingly closing up as she breathed in response, _"Tai?"_

The brunette grinned broadly. "Hello, Sora."

**A/N:** Welp, that's it! Was it any good? Please let me know in a review! But no flames, please:-S C'mon, it's not to hard! Just press that little blue button thingy:-P Thanks! HUGZNKISSES


	2. And So the Deception Begins

**A/N:** Hey! Ok, guys, here's the deal…starting the very next chapter there will be adult situations, so this fic is going to be bumped up to "R", or "M", as it's being called now for some strange reason. But anywhos, I hope you'll continue to read! Thanks SO much for all your support:)

**CH 2**

Sora couldn't believe it. The one man whom had long ago completed her childhood was now standing there before her, his trademark grin adorning his lips like some sort of blessing of familiarity. And yet...he was also very different. His hair was mostly hacked off, yet it was still shaggy enough to hang down in front of his deep brown eyes. He was taller, slightly broader in build, and he seemed even more confident in himself, if _that_ were possible.

"Well?", Tai finally demanded, thus snapping her out of her brief reverie. "Aren't you going to invite me in, or something?"

Sora managed to give him a wry smile, then nodded, acknowledging pleasantly, "Well, of course! How silly of me! Please come in and state your business, won't you?"

Shocked that she was now treating him as if they had never met, Tai uneasily stepped forward, then unearthed a beautiful pink evening gown from within a small traveling bag. "This," he began, "is why I came. My fiancée has recently picked up the hobby of designing gowns, so, knowing that you were in the fashion industry, I decided to come here and sell her first piece that she ever created."

Sora's heart took an unexpected dive. "F-fiancée?"

"Oh...uh...yeah. It's Mimi," Tai acknowledged, anxiously adjusting his tie. "We met up a few years ago in New York, and now we're engaged. Pretty cool how things worked out, huh? I mean, first you and Matt, and now me and Mimi."

Sora's eyes clouded over at the mentioning of her husband and his alleged mistress, but, like a piece of ice on a hot plate, the look melted away as soon as it had come. "Yeah," she finally agreed, "it really is...and I really like the dress. Mimi's very talented since she managed to make a gown all by herself."

"Yeah, well she almost convinced _me_ to model it out for her, but she luckily found somebody else for the job," Tai conceded, smirking sheepishly in spite of himself.

Sora laughed loudly at this. "Now _that_ I'd like to see! Tai Kamiya...the world's next Cindy Crawford!"

Tai smiled, yet it never quite reached his eyes. Something was deeply troubling him, and he felt that if he didn't come out with it very soon, he just might burst due to all the built-in tension.

"Sora," he began, apprehensively twisting the gown about between his hands, "how's life in 'paradise' goin', nowadays? I haven't heard from either you or Matt in years, so..."

"This isn't the time _nor_ the place to discuss this type of thing, Tai," Sora immediately reprimanded, regarding him with a look that would cause most men to piss their pants.

Tai, however, was not like most men. Reaching out his hand for her to accept, he urged warmly, "Well if that's how you feel, we'll just go on out and grab a bite to eat...just you and me. There's a big special goin' on down at the Blue Cod, so it's my treat!"

Sora smiled, gingerly taking his hand in her own as her acceptance. How could she say no?

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"It was really sweet of you to take me out like this, Tai."

He shrugged. "It's nothing...just chalk it up as a sudden whim of insanity, if you'd like. It's just that I haven't seen you in _so_ damn long, so I felt as if I had to talk to you and see how you were holding up."

"Oh...well that's very sweet of you, too," Sora decided, absently tracing her finger along the rim of her wine glass as she felt herself slipping further and further away.

Why was she so uncomfortable with discussing her life and marital issues with her best friend? She and Matt loved each other very much, so surely there was nothing to hide...

"You're trembling."

Sora immediately looked up. "Excuse me?"

_"You_...you're trembling," Tai elucidated softly, regarding her with a look full of genuine concern. "Are you sure you're ok? You really don't look so hot."

"Well thank you very much," Sora teased, suddenly taking an unexpectedly generous sip of her wine before signaling to their waiter for another bottle. "I always knew deep-down that you didn't find me to be very attractive...it's such a shame how you've lied to me so many times over the years up until now."

Tai let out a grunt of frustration, then immediately shook his head. "Sora, _please_," he begged, "tell me what's wrong with you!"

Sora opened her mouth to reply, then immediately closed it, her eyes filling up with tears once Tai reached out across the table and fondly interlocked his hand with her own. "Please tell me, Sora," he tried again, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "You know that I'm here for you, right?"

"Y-yes," she choked, suddenly turning away so that he could no longer see her eyes. "And I...I have to go."

Tai balked. "What? _Already_? C'mon, Sora..._please_ don't go."

_This was all so wrong..._

She immediately stood up. "I have to," she insisted, removing her hand from within his grasp as if she had been burned. "Tell Mimi I love the gown and that she should expect a pay-check within the week."

"But Sora..."

"Good-bye, Tai," she cut in, regarding him with large, sad brown eyes before turning from the table in order to make her escape.

It was just so like her to run away from her problems, yet she no longer cared. She couldn't now that Matt no longer needed her...

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"Well _you're_ home awfully late."

Matt jumped as if he had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, his deep blue eyes narrowing significantly once he came to rest them upon his troubled wife. "What, so now you're keeping track of how long I'm out?", he demanded, tossing his overcoat onto the back of the easy chair in front of the TV before plopping down upon it. "Be a doll and make me somethin' to eat, will ya?"

Sora stiffened. "That's an awfully demanding request, considering the fact that you don't even spend any time with me, anymore."

"Aww, c'mon, don't give me that crap right now!", Matt moaned, clapping a hand over his forehead as he sank down even further into his easy chair. "All day long I've got my boss breathing down my neck about getting things done in time, so on top of it all I really _don't_ feel like coming home to a bitchy wife givin' me the cold shoulder!"

Sora winced as if she had just been slapped. "What's happened to you, Matt?", she whispered, all the while fighting back burning tears of utter pain and bewilderment. "You used to be so romantic and sweet...don't you love me, anymore?"

Matt sighed. _"Sora..."_

"Oh, no...don't you Sora me!", she warned, waggling her finger back and forth before threateningly placing her hands on her hips. "If you _really_ cared, you wouldn't be staying out all night with Mimi!"

Matt choked, then released a sudden fit of raucous laughter. _"What?", _he wheezed, shaking his head in utter disbelief. "Are you _kidding_ me? Who told you that?"

"Nobody had to, idiot! I read your phone bill!", Sora wailed, trembling like a leaf as her husband rose up in order to overcome her current height advantage. _"Please,_ Matt," she tried again, shaking, _"please_ tell me the truth. Only then can I be the loving wife that you so desire."

Sighing, Matt took Sora within his arms and breathed in her heavenly scent, acknowledging breathlessly into her ear, "Sweetheart, you _know_ that I would never intentionally hurt you by doing such a terrible thing...you're my whole world. How could I possibly let something as precious as you slip through my grasp?"

_"Oh, Matt,"_ Sora whimpered, burying her face within the crook of his neck, "I love you _so_ incredibly much."

Matt smiled, yet it never reached his eyes.

She was a fool, all right, but she was _his_ fool, and he'd have to live with that mistake for the rest of his life.


	3. Hidden Agendas

**A/N: Hey! Long time no write, eh? Welp, hopefully this makes up for the delay! A lot of deception's going on! Please R&R!**

**CH 3**

Hands danced across flesh in waltzes of utter adoration, the owners' lips joining hungrily amidst a sudden pang of heated desire as they simultaneously shared a thrilling climax and screamed all of their love for one another for all the world to hear.

Suddenly wilting down atop her blonde counterpart's chiseled chest, the lovely strawberry blonde heaved a contented sigh and bestowed him with an affectionate kiss on the lips. "I love you, Matt," she breathed, nuzzling the nape of his neck before tangling her fingers amidst his massive mop of flaxen-colored hair.

Smiling amidst the veil of her flowing locks, Matt returned warmly within the sanction of her ear, "I love you, too, Mimi...I really do."

"Then go away with me," she pleaded, suddenly quite urgent. "I just can't bear the thought of losing you to that redheaded minx!"

Matt suddenly turned away from her as if he had been burned, questioning in a rather weak and defeated voice, "You mean Sora, right?"

"Of _course_ I mean Sora!", Mimi snapped, now on the verge of pitching a fit. "Who _else_ in this world would be your redheaded wife!"

"I don't know...I'm so sorry, sweetheart," Matt mumbled, taking her hands in his. "It's just that...well...I still love her, Mimi. This may be a little harder to go through with than I originally thought."

Hurt, the light-haired seductress pulled away from him, wrapping the scratchy motel sheets about her silken flesh as she slid off of the bed and approached the dresser in order to acquire her belongings.

Matt groaned. "Mimi, _please..._I didn't mean-"

"Oh, yes you _did!",_ she snapped, tears of anguish and utter disbelief spilling past her kohl lashes and staining her cheeks with several dark and grayish splotches. "If you were completely devoted to me like you promised before, you would _not_ be mentioning your wife at a time like this!"

"Well yeah, but-"

"But _nothing! _I'm _leaving _you, Matt..._forever!"_

Watching on in utter disbelief, Matt felt his heart constricting painfully within his chest as his second love slipped her sun dress up and over her head and grabbed her keys from on top of the dresser, giving him nothing but the very unladylike finger in response before she opened the door and slammed it behind her in utter contempt.

Moaning within the sanction of his hands, Matt cursed his youthful foolishness and wished for a second chance, his feelings waging war across his troubled features as he slumped out of bed and prepared to return home to his ever-loving wife.

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"Hey, babe...what's wrong?"

Mimi regarded her fiance' with a look of utter revulsion, her doe-brown eyes piercing and fiery as she returned in a maliciously poignant manner, "Not now, Tai...I've got much more important things to worry about than talking with you, _okay?_ Just lay off!"

Considerably hurt by her actions, Tai forced a weak smile, then nodded. "Of course, sweetheart...whatever you want."

Completely ignoring him, altogether, she then turned her attention over towards the small picture framed on one of the end tables by the couch, her gaze narrowing significantly upon realizing that subject was Matt and Sora's wedding.

Seething, Mimi stalked over to the picture and slammed it face-down onto the table, abruptly spinning about on her heel and storming off toward her bedroom as a very hurt and confused Tai gazed despondently after.

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Checking her watch, Sora irritably continued her walk home from _Demure Amor,_ subconsciously touching the messy bun on the back of her head as she found herself wondering yet again about her relationship with Matt.

Last night before making love to her, he had announced that he was going on yet another business trip, except this time he proposed that he would be gone for an entire week.

A week...seven whole days without the warmth of a man to keep her company, nor the fire of his desire to keep her satisfied, as forced though it seemed. Even if Matt faked his love for her, it at least kept her going on. Without love, she realized, she would wither up and dissipate into nothingness like a flower without rain.

Tisking over the litter that was currently adorning the lawn to the apartment complex that she and Matt inhabited, Sora begrudgingly followed the walkway up to the front door, pausing every once in a while to tug at her sagging pantyhose.

"Damn runners," she cursed sourly under her breath upon noticing a couple of snags, her pride in her overall appearance becoming more and more distraught with each passing moment. _"God,_ I wish Matt were home..."

"Hey, babe."

Sora flinched. _That voice..._

_ "Matt?",_ she questioned, whirling around in absolute disbelief upon spotting his reflection in the coruscating glass of the entryway. "What on _earth_ are you doing here! I thought you were supposed to be gone for an entire week!"

"Well, there's been a slight change of plans," he revealed, pulling his wife in for a quick and needy kiss that completely wrought her senses. Pausing in order to stroke her soft, auburn hair, he continued, "I've decided that I needed you way too much, so I came home."

Sora, now completely dazed and confused, gave him a strange look and lolled her head over to one side. _"Oh?_ And why is that? You've never done anything like this before."

"Well, I - oh,_ snap!_ Hang on, I'm being paged..."

Narrowing her eyes, Sora subconsciously clicked her tongue as she then realized that people never changed. Work would always be more important to Matt than herself; _always._

Cursing, Matt pocketed his pager, then gave his wife a rueful glance, apologizing wearily, "Sorry, babe, but there's been yet _another_ change of plans...I guess that I just might have to take that trip, after all."

"Then go, already," Sora muttered, folding her arms before glancing peevishly off to the side. "I don't need you here."

"Sora..."

_ "Go,"_ she hissed, pushing his invading hands away from her hips as she slipped past him and haughtily stalked off toward the main entrance of the building.

Sighing, Matt dejectedly allowed his head to flop forward as he stuffed his hands into his awaiting pockets, only then realizing that he may have made a terribly grave mistake.

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"I've been waiting for nearly an hour."

"I'm sorry," Matt apologized, encircling his arms about his lover's waist before longingly pressing his cheek against her own. "I _need_ you, Mimi...I'm just so sorry for not realizing that up until now."

"It's alright," she returned softly, the salty breeze from the dock tousling her hair as she continued to gaze out wistfully upon the grayish waves of the clear night sky. "As long as we love each other, nothing can possibly go wrong."

Matt smiled warmly within the sanction of her neck, then nodded. _"Yes...nothing at all."_

**A/N:** Welp, how was that? Any good? And, just so you know, I DO know who the pairing will be judging by your votes, but if it changes, so will the pairing! So vote!


	4. Poetic Justice

**A/N: First let me apologize for taking SO freaking long for updating/ I know that I should have a good excuse, but I don't…I just ran out of my creative juices, if you will. In a way I'm kind of glad I did, because my story is now taking an unexpected turn that you will hopefully find to be original and enjoyable. Enjoy, and of course review! ;0)**

**CH 4: Poetic Justice**

"Tai...is that you?"

The young man in question immediately looked up from his scotch, a weak smile creasing his lips as he gave the redhead before him a small wave in greeting. "Hey, Sora...what brings you to this side of the city?"

"From the looks of things, I should be asking _you_ the same question" the fiery fashion designer remarked, plopping herself down upon the barstool neighboring her downcast companion. "If you don't mind my being nosy, is everything alright? You seem awful upset."

Keeping his gaze fixated firmly on the shot glass clenched tightly between his fingers, Tai subconsciously gritted his teeth before elevating one shoulder in response.

"Tai" Sora tried yet again, _"please_ tell me what's wrong. How can I be a good friend if I can't even help out?"

"Why bother?" he finally snapped, sending her a look that could surely cause all Hell to freeze over. "Mimi frickin' left me without a single explanation, Sora, so of _course_ I'm gonna be fuckin' upset!"

_"Tai!"_ Sora exclaimed, absolutely appalled. "We're in a public facility, you know! Keep your voice down!"

_"So?"_ he muttered, sourly sucking on a piece of ice from the bottom of his scotch. "If they don't like it, they can kiss my one-hundred percent natural tan ass."

Feeling the heat in her cheeks rising due to the impervious glances that they were now receiving, Sora decided that swift and immediate action was necessary. Rising up from her stool in order to take her leave, she then placed a hand reassuringly upon Tai's shoulder and urged sweetly into his ear, "Matt's currently out on a business trip in New York, so why don't you come home with me?"

Tai looked up at her, completely unable to prevent himself from grinning like a fool as he exclaimed, "Why, Sora Takenouchi Ishida! I've got morals, ya know! I could _never_ bed my best friend's wife, no matter _how_ hot she is!"

"Tai Kamiya!" she gasped, giving him a swift punch in the arm, "leave it to _you_ to turn a perfectly legit offer into some wanton little escapade!"

"Well I didn't deny your offer, now did I?" Tai demanded, thus causing Sora to blink.

"Oh...well, I-"

He grinned. "Lead the way, Ms. Jezebel."

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Sora and Matt's penthouse was terribly cluttered at the moment, yet somehow still managed to retain a simple and classy charm. Tai felt rather beside himself standing amidst such finery, yet he still managed to bestow his hostess with utmost pride over his own self. This was, of course, quite the opposite of what he was actually feeling.

"Have a seat, won't you?" Sora suddenly urged, smiling as she placed a glass of red wine down upon the coffee table in between them. "I can't believe you've been standing here the entire time I was in the kitchen! Sit down, you oaf!"

Plunking down onto the sofa like an obedient puppy, Tai couldn't help but admire the fiery redhead's sense of place in the household. It was quite clear to him that she knew exactly what kind of respect she deserved and that she would never settle for anything less.

_'As it should be'_ he thought, immediately coming to the remembrance that he wasn't just here for a social get-together. Taking advantage of the wine at his place, he then questioned in his most disarming manner possible, "So what was it exactly that you wanted to talk about so badly back at the bar? I mean, why couldn't we do it there?"

Sora was clearly taken aback. _"What?_ Where on earth did you get _that_ impression? It was your childish behavior that made me decide to take you back here to spare you of further embarrassment!"

Instead of arguing with her as he so sorely desired, Tai heaved a sigh, then nodded. "You're right" he finally agreed. "You are ab-so-_lutely_ right, Sora. I was a complete fool to try and drown away my sorrows over Mimi with a scotch when a nice shot of whiskey would've been _much_ better."

"Tai, _please"_ Sora begged, placing a hand over her face in what appeared to be disgust. "I brought you over here so that we could resolve your problems, _not_ encourage them!"

Tai suddenly looked up from his wine, thoroughly exanimate. "Then how, pray tell, did you think we could solve my problems without actually discussing them? If you're not willing to hear my sob story about Mimi, I guess you're not really a friend at all."

The tone that he now used with her was terribly somber and devoid of all prior warmth, Sora shuddering due to her displeasure with this 'new' Tai. What had Mimi done to turn him into something so cruel and cynical?

"She left me to go to New York" Tai suddenly revealed, now answering Sora's unspoken query. "There was no explanation, no phone number, no nothing...just an empty hole in my heart. I _love_ Mimi, Sora...why would she do this to me?"

Sora, on the other hand, could merely balk in response. "N-New York" she finally managed to stammer, "as in...New York _City?"_

Tai nodded.

"Oh, _Jesus"_ she swore brusquely under her breath, her doe brown eyes fiery and full of sheer enmity once she realized that it was very plausible that Mimi was with her husband at that very moment.

"What is it?" Tai demanded, now fully alert and at her side. "What the hell's going on here, Sora? Do you know something that you're not telling me?"

"I..."

_"What?"_ he pressed, taking her by the shoulders so that she was forced to meet with his imploring gaze. "Do you know why Mimi's all the way over in New York?"

Sora bit her lip, then nodded with severe reluctance. "I-I think so..."

"Then _tell_ me!"

"Oh, Tai, please, I can't right now, I-"

_"Do _it, dammit!"

Shocked, Sora gazed up into his fiery eyes and immediately burst into tears, falling pathetically into the security of his arms as she wailed, "Oh, Tai, they're _gone!_ I knew I should've told you before, but I was far too embarrassed to admit what was going on!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tai demanded, taking the sobbing redhead by the chin before forcing her to meet with his line of vision. "You're not making any sense, Sora! What are you trying to say?"

Sora sniffed, bowing her head before revealing weakly, "What I'm trying to say is that my husband and your fiancee have gallivanted off to New York."

"Recently?"

"Yes."

"Together?"

_"Yes!"_

Panicking, Tai seized Sora by the wrists and wrenched her back up and to her feet, urging frantically, "Well, c'mon! The next plane to New York leaves in a couple of hours!"

Sora balked. _"What?_ Tai, we can't just get up and leave, it's-"

"No time to argue...let's just go!"

Following after her stubborn best friend, Sora couldn't help but feel a twinge of desire to just stay behind and be in denial, yet she knew that Tai would never give her that option. One way or the other, the truth would finally be revealed...

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"This was such a _great_ idea, Matt" Mimi whispered, gazing out fondly at the lapping waves beneath their cruise ship as she continued to snuggle into his arms. "Although it will take _quite_ a while to get to America, I almost wish that this could last forever since being alone with you is the best pleasure known to man."

Matt grinned. "Well gee, even _I_ could've toldja that one! Whaddaya say, Meems? Want me to go down deck and get you a drink?"

"Oh! Well I'd love one!" Mimi agreed, giving him a quick peck on the cheek as her thanks. "Just don't be too long, alright? I'll miss you."

Matt nodded and chuckled, yet the moment he turned in order to leave he accidentally bumped Mimi with his arm, her shrill screams resounding in his ears as a chilled splash of water suddenly seeped into his shirt.

"Mimi?" he gasped, whirling around in an instant. "Oh, God..._Mimi!"_

Stripping himself of his now soaking wet T-shirt, Matt frantically dove into the ocean after his lover, only to overhear the thunder rolling forebodingly overhead...

**A/N:** Dun dun duuuun! LoL What shall become of our dear adulterers? You'll find out…if you REVIEW! XD


	5. The Calm of the Storm

**A/N: Yay, I updated in record timing:-D Here's a tad bit of tragedy, angst, and romance…just for you! ;-)**

**CH 5: The Calm of the Storm**

_"Mimi!_ Oh, God, Meems, _answer_ me!"

Choking due to the sudden splash of sea water in his face, Matt hurriedly wiped at his eyes, only to re-cup his hands over his mouth and try yet again, _"MIMI!_ For the love of God, _say_ something!"

The turbulent waves slapped against him in response, their murky-gray depths revealing nothing to his ever-searching gaze but the vast nothingness that was the sea.

Gritting his teeth, Matt dove underwater in one last desperate attempt at finding his beloved, his vision hazed and bleary as he squinted through the briny leagues of the ocean like a lost soul seeking solace.

Feeling as if his lungs were about to burst, Matt cut through the water and emerged to the surface gasping for breath, cold salty droplets of the sea clinging to his flesh as a sinking emotion formed within the very pit of his stomach. She was gone…

_"Mimi…"_

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"Oh, God…oh, no! You're _lying!"_

Sora jumped, glancing over at Tai with frightened eyes as he continued to shout expletives into his cell phone, his flesh growing deathly pale before prickling with perspiration.

"Oh, God, please, Matt" he continued, _"stop_ lying to me! Mimi is _not_ dead!"

At this sudden slip of the tongue Sora couldn't help but gasp, a hand immediately flying over her mouth as she tried her damndest to stave off her tears. The very notion that she had wished Mimi dead mere moments ago made her stomach lurch, her world spinning haphazardly about her as she overheard Tai feverishly chucking his cell phone against the wall of their hotel room.

"Tai" Sora ventured, her mouth now drier than the Sahara, "please tell me it's not true…_please."_

"I can't tell you a goddamn thing and you know it" he hissed, shaking uncontrollably as he desperately sought to be in control of his faculties. "The only woman I've ever loved is dead now, so I wish I were, too!"

Something within his confession felt like a full-blown slap to the face to Sora, tears now spilling freely past her kohl lashes as she reached out a trembling hand and touched the softness of his cheek. "Don't you ever say that again, Tai Kamiya" she scolded, her voice hard, yet filled with a genuine warmth. "Don't you _ever_ give up on me, okay? I need you!"

Tai flinched, moving slightly away from her. "Get the fuck off me, Sora – you have Matt."

Shocked, Sora watched on with wide eyes as her best friend got up and exited the room and onto the balcony, the soft orange glow of the sun silhouetting his dejected form so that he almost appeared to be an angel. _Almost._

Ignoring the warning signals flashing garishly within her mind's eye, Sora found herself following Tai so that she was now at his side, a look of pure, unadulterated hurt flashing across her eyes the moment that she reached out to touch him and he immediately pulled away.

"Tai" she entreated, her bottom lip quivering, _"please_ talk to me…we always tell each other everything."

Tai made a noise that appeared to be somewhere in between a laugh and a snort. "Times have changed, Sora" he admonished softly. "We haven't talked in years and you damn well know it. I always wanted to call, but I figured you didn't want me to since you had Matt to confide in."

Sora visibly winced. "So just because I'm married I don't need other people? Tai, I would've _loved_ to have heard from you!"

"Yeah, well it's too late to change the past" he muttered, jamming his hands into the pockets of his dark slacks before casting her a surprisingly gentle look. "I was lying to you earlier, you know, so I guess I should confess that I didn't only love Mimi. There was a time when I loved you, too, Sora."

Inwardly the redhead felt that she had always known this, yet now that the words had actually been voiced she found that she was completely speechless. "Tai" she began, her eyes glistening, "I loved you, too, and I still do, but not in the way that you'd like."

"Well who ever said I was still in love with you?" Tai snapped, his words laced with a blatant amount of hurt. "I was going to marry Mimi, remember? Or perhaps you subconsciously overlooked that minor detail since you didn't want it to be true."

"Tai, _please,_ I-"

_"No,_ Sora! I went years upon years without love since I was always waiting on you, but you never even _looked_ in my direction!" Tai spat, tears now slipping down his cheeks as he angrily struck the balcony railing. "Just when I thought that you actually cared about me I came to you, but instead you told me that you were in love with Matt-fucking Ishida – my _best_ friend! How could you _do_ that to me, Sora? For years I went through life ignoring other women with the hopes of you miraculously confessing that you loved me, too, but you never did. And now that I've _finally_ found happiness with another woman, she's stolen from my clutches just like that! Do you have _any_ idea how hard it is to be 28 and _still_ a virgin? I don't even really know what a goddamn kiss feels like since Mimi hardly ever touched me, and I…I…" Tai faltered, immediately bowing his head in shame. "I'm sorry…I guess all my years of pent-up frustration caused me to blow a fuse."

Sora, however, found that she could say absolutely nothing, her heart wrenching upon finding all the sadness in the world within Tai's large, dark eyes. Resting a hand upon his shoulder, the redhead leaned in and placed a chaste kiss upon his cheek, her world spinning madly about her once her best friend suddenly seized her by the middle and crushed his lips hungrily against her own in one full swoop of untamed desire.

Whimpering into Tai's open mouth, Sora felt as if her knees were rapidly dissolving into absolute nothingness, her soft form falling weakly against his own as their kiss only deepened in its passion.

"You were right…I _do_ still love you, Sora, and I never stopped" Tai breathed against the warm satin of her lips, hurriedly reclaiming her mouth with his own before pivoting the redhead about so that her back slammed forcefully against the glass door of the balcony.

_"Tai"_ Sora gasped, groping desperately at his shoulders as she sought for a source of stability, her doe brown eyes rolling back in her head as his lips dropped down to the crook of her neck and fanned several butterfly kisses out along its wake. "Tai…oh, _God…"_

Running his tongue feverishly along Sora's lips with the hopes of her granting him entrance to the incredible haven within, Tai felt all of his passion for the woman in his arms pooling down into his nether regions, a low grown escaping his throat as he made the foolish mistake of pressing his desire longingly against Sora's thigh.

_"Tai"_ she squeaked, the seriousness of the situation finally dawning on her, "I…you…oh, _God!"_

Sobbing, Sora smacked him clear across the face, holding her head in her hands as she took off for the door as fast as her long, slender legs could possibly carry her. She needed to get out of there, and _fast!_

"Sora!" Tai called, his heart wrenching as he watched her flee from his arms, "Where are you going?"

"Someplace where I'll be away from _you!"_ the redhead spat, her eyes full of tears as she haughtily slammed the door behind her and left her near-lover to his own devices.

Dropping down and to his knees, Tai couldn't help but sob as well, his fingers curling against his cheeks as he realized that he had lost her – _again._

**A/N:** Hmm, so why's Sora behaving this way? Could it be that she…:gasp: has some MORALS? LoL What will become of Matt since his paramour is now gone? Will he come crawling back to Sora? And will this be a problem now that Tai's added to the equation? You'll find out if you review! ;-) tee-hee


	6. The Breaking Point

**The Breaking Point**

Sora continued to sob softly as she staggered out of the hotel lobby and into the bustling streets of New York, her heart still pounding painfully within her bosom from the overwhelming inner turmoil of Tai's surprisingly breath-taking administrations. How could her best friend _do_ that to her? He was supposed to be the one person who she could trust!

Cradling her head in her hands, Sora miserably plopped down onto a nearby bench and allowed her tears to streak her cheeks as she then realized that she was no better than Matt was – she had officially cheated on him, too!

_'And what's worse, I haven't told either of them my secret yet'_ the redhead inwardly conceded, her bottom lip trembling as she wiped away at a lone tear. _'Oh, God, I don't even think I can! How could they possibly handle it after all we've been through this year!?'_

"Sora?"

She jumped, considerably astounded once she found her tearful gaze resting upon none other than her husband, himself. "Matt!" she exclaimed, placing a trembling hand over her heart, "Y-you _scared_ me! How on earth did you find us?"

"Easy…Tai gave me the directions" the blonde returned as if it were obvious, his blue eyes immediately noting Sora's mascara-stained cheeks and blotchy complexion. "You've been crying" he softly observed, now seating himself alongside her so that he could pull her in for a fierce hug. "Don't worry, Sora, we'll get through Mimi's death…_together."_

Sora blinked.

_Mimi?_ My God, she had nearly forgotten! She had been far too distracted with Tai…

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Groaning with contentment, Tai leaned his head forward against the cool tile of his shower as he allowed the water overhead to continue to pelt him relentlessly from behind, the stinging droplets trickling in small criss-crosses down along the muscular planes of his nude body before swirling down into the drain below.

_"Sora…"_

Cursing, Tai's eyes immediately shot open as if attached to springs, his fist lightly striking his forehead with the hopes of driving out the memory of the unexpected encounter with his best friend. It had been so surreal, so…_incredible._

Re-closing his eyes, Tai imagined what it would be like to kiss those soft lips again, how it would be to feel her silken flesh beneath his roving hands as they made love, how incredible it would be to finally hear her scream _his_ name instead of Matt's.

With a groan, Tai suddenly realized that all of his inner passions had proceeded straight to his lower extremities, a searing pang of guilt immediately surging its way throughout his veins once he realized that it should be _Mimi_ he was longing for – her funeral was only two hours away.

Switching the water off with a flick of the wrist, Tai miserably stepped out of the shower and suddenly caught sight of his reflection through the thick water-induced steam. There, staring straight back at him was a monster – a monster that had already long forgotten about his fiancée and was now moving on with the hopes of snatching his best friend.

"You're a complete dick" Tai hissed, irefully seizing his towel from off of the floor before slamming his fist against the mirror as hard as he possibly could. With a tremendous crash, splinters of glass erupted forth in a fountain of broken reflections, taking with it the image of the monster that was now plaguing the poor young man to no end.

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The service that evening was held without a body, yet Mimi's most prized possessions had been respectfully buried in her place. Since she had been a proficient Broadways singer, a few of her albums served as delicate background noise to the constant sobbing and praying for the dearly departed.

Surprisingly, the worst off among this group was none other than Sora Takenouchi, her cheeks streaked with tears and her eyes incredibly swollen from her miserable bouts of incessant crying.

Unfortunately for her, Tai was the first of the mourners to take notice of this, his own eyes damp and hollow as he made a beeline for the sobbing redhead. When he finally reached the dejected designer he gently turned her to face him, her shock over seeing him instead of her husband quite clear upon her dainty features as she meekly shied away from his touch. "Tai, I can't talk to you" she hissed, the tremendous amount of fear within her eyes quite startling. "I'm very sorry for your loss, but now that you've heard my condolences _please_ leave me be."

"Why are you crying?" he demanded, completely ignoring her last statement altogether. "I didn't know that you and Mimi had reconciled your differences and grown close again."

Sora immediately looked away, yet she said nothing in return.

"Aw, c'mon, Sor" Tai entreated, his eyes soft as he dared to reach out and take her firmly by the chin. "Can'tcha tell me? Wasn't it you who said this afternoon that we could always tell each other everything?"

"And wasn't it _you_ who said that times change?" Sora viciously shot back, her convictive tone shocking Tai by how unbelievably hateful she was behaving.

Hurt, the brunette took a small step back, yet instead of removing his hand from Sora's chin he instead slid it outward to cup the svelte curve of her cheek. "I know it's asking a lot" he began, "but I could _really_ use your friendship right about now…you're all I have left in this Godforsaken place. I know that it might seem dumb and all, but could you possibly stop by my hotel room later on to check up on me and make sure that I haven't done anything stupid?"

Sora audibly gasped. "You _wouldn't!_ How could you even _contemplate_ committing-"

"Ssh" Tai hissed, immediately silencing her by placing a finger over her lips. "Just say you'll come, alright?"

"Well alright, but-"

"Good" he acknowledged, smiling, "seven it is."

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The moment Tai let Sora in his room he was at a complete loss for words, his mouth unspeakably dry as he appreciatively allowed his eyes to rove over the curves of her supple figure. Since it was customary to wear black while in mourning, she was currently bedecked in _Demure Amor's_ latest black fashions, the daring neckline of her chiffon top bearing ample cleavage while the lace of her mini skirt revealed the slenderness of her athletic thighs and calves.

To Tai it was the ultimate sin to find himself tremendously aroused by another woman's presence directly after laying his fiancée to rest, yet the tender look in Sora's eyes somehow made it seem _so_ right.

Suddenly appearing to be rather uncomfortable with being scrutinized like an organism under a microscope, Sora hastily seated herself on a nearby couch and bestowed her friend with a tight-lipped smile. "So" she began, "I see that you're still in control of your faculties, so I'm guessing that I should just go ahead and leave?"

Tai's face immediately fell. "What, so soon? I-I was really hoping that we could stay up and talk for a while and…you know…catch up?"

Sora gave a humorless laugh, returning scathingly, "Catch up on _what,_ Tai? Both of our lives are a living hell because A) my husband cheated on me for your fiancée, which initially means that B) Mimi cheated on _you,_ and C) every time we're together I feel this mind-numbing fear over what might happen between us! I may be angry with Matt, but I am _not_ about to follow in his footsteps!"

"Then…you admit to there being something between us?" Tai innocently fished, his tongue subconsciously sliding along his bottom lip as he awkwardly sat down beside her. "I-I mean…I'm not saying that there _is,_ but if there _were…_what do you think would happen that makes you so afraid?"

"I-I honestly don't know" Sora admitted, "but this afternoon should've never happened, Tai. We were both feeling very lonely and rejected, so I-I almost let you…I almost let you…um…"

"Make love to you?" Tai finished breathlessly, his insides quivering at just the mere prospect of cradling her soft nude form against his own.

Sora's cheeks blossomed to a delicate rosy hue at this sudden declaration, yet she nonetheless found herself nodding as she scooted slightly away from him.

"I never meant to cause you any heartache, you know" Tai suddenly confessed, now no longer able to meet with her meek gaze. "It's just that…well…I've always really liked you, Sora, and now that I've lost Mimi…" Here he couldn't finish, the unshed tears which he'd been staving off now streaming down his cheeks in a ceaseless flow, a small shudder racking his body once he felt Sora touch his arm in a simple gesture of comfort.

"Oh, Tai" she entreated, _"please_ don't…I hate to see you like this. You're a man of courage, remember?"

"Yeah, well who gives a damn when I'm doomed to be alone?" he demanded, shrugging her off before sending her a terrible scowl. "Don't you get it, Sora? Killing Mimi is God's little way of telling me that I don't deserve to have someone to love…that I'm not _allowed_ to have anybody."

Sora winced. "Tai, you _will_ find someone…you're a very fun and attractive man!"

"Then how come that was never good enough for you?" he questioned in a defeated voice, his tone laced with an inexplicable amount of hurt. "If I was so fucking great back then, how come you didn't want to go out with me?"

"Tai" Sora whimpered, her lashes now glistening with tears, "I _couldn't…_I loved Matt and I just-"

"Stop it" Tai growled, holding up a hand before giving her a disgusted look. "I don't wanna hear your sorry excuses anymore 'cause I've already heard enough to last me a whole lifetime. Just go ahead and do yourself and Matt a little favor and get a frickin' divorce."

Sora gasped. "Tai _Kamiya!"_

"Well I'm right, aren't I? You two hate each other since he fucked my woman!"

That did it. In a flash, Sora reared back and struck Tai clear across the face, his brown eyes wide with astonishment as he reached up a hand and rested it upon the tender flesh of his cheek. "You…you _hit_ me!"

"Well of _course_ I did, you moron! What you said was completely cruel and you know it!" Sora wailed, the tears now flowing freely down her cheeks as she hit him yet again. This time, however, Tai allowed her to strike him, a slight pang of remorse throbbing within his bosom once he caught sight of the vast pain reflecting back at him from Sora's eyes. He hadn't meant to hurt her – God, he _really_ hadn't, but now that it was all said and done he knew that it was far too late to apologize.

After a few more moments of uncomfortable silence Sora finally spoke up, "I never should've come here…I can't_ believe_ that I was actually stupid enough to think that you'd changed."

"Sora…"

"No! Don't you Sora me!" the redhead sobbed, now pulling away from Tai so that she couldn't see his eyes. "I may care a great deal for you, Tai, but I'm completely willing to disown you as my best friend if you can't let go of this ridiculous grudge – it's been _13_ years! Let it _go!"_

Tai visibly winced. "I don't have a grudge, Sora, but I damn well might start to if Matt doesn't begin treating you right" he confessed, his dark eyes soft and filled with sorrow as he absently kneaded the plush of the couch between his fingers. "You said so yourself that we're best friends, but you have yet to let us act like we actually are. Every time we get even remotely close you turn away from me, and all I want to know is why. Don't you trust me, anymore?"

"Of course I trust you, Tai" Sora miserably relented, "It's _me_ that I don't trust."

"You…_what?"_

Embarrassed by the shocked look that her best friend was currently giving her, the redhead smoothly rose from the couch and gave him a demure look to cover up her true discomfort. "I'm sorry" she apologized, "but I really _do_ have to go now."

"Oh…well sure" Tai agreed, still far too bemused by her earlier remark to even halt her actions. Had she actually just admitted that she didn't trust _herself_ when she was around him? The very prospect brought pleasurable shivers to his spine, yet he soon deducted that it could be nothing more than wishful thinking.

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Sora stared down at the pale bottle of pills in her hand with complete disgust, her lips screwing into a grim line the moment she twisted off the cap and dumped its contents down the toilet without a second thought.

She was sick and tired of the traumas of her inner battle – she just couldn't withstand them anymore. Hell, she no longer even cared if she won…

"Sora?"

Gasping, the redhead hurriedly flushed the toilet before whirling around in order to face her husband, her throat now inexplicably dry as she ventured, "M-Matt! I…I mean…why didn't you knock?"

He gave her a wry smile. "What, so now I need a reason to check in on my beautiful wife?"

"Well no, I guess not, but-"

"Come to bed, Sora" Matt entreated, his open arms both wide and welcoming as he closed the small gap between them. "It's been a rough day on all of us, so I'm pretty darn sure that you're in some dire need of rest."

Sora moved to argue, but suddenly thought better of it, her eyes growing heavy as she leaned into him and nodded. "Yes…alright" she finally agreed, "but only if you stop hogging the covers."

Laughing, Matt nodded as he escorted his wife out into the hallway, never once realizing what horrible secrets laid deep within the chambers of her tattered heart.

**A/N:** Wow, I am SOOO sorry for taking forever and a year to update, but I had Samurai Champloo, Wolf's Rain, Dark Shadows, and Cowboy Bebop fics to take care of, too! I know, it's not an excuse, but…::sigh::

Anywhos, yes, I AM a loser for updating on Christmas (my birthday, no less…I'm 19! Gah, I feel SO old! O.O lol), but I hope you've enjoyed, anyway!!!

**Next chapter:** What is Sora hiding? How will the boys react? Who will she choose? (ok, so not ALL of that is in the next chapter, but who's counting, right? ;) Please show me some love AKA a Christmas/birthday present by clicking the little review button! It not only ensures a faster update, but it keeps your authoress HAPPY! LoL Love you guys! ;0)


	7. Sudden Epiphanies

**CH 7: Sudden Epiphanies**

"I fold."

Izzy grunted before relenting, "Yeah, me too…what about you, Tai?"

The brunette in question never once removed his firm gaze from his opponents', his tone both challenging and smug as he returned, "I'll raise."

_"Really?_ Wow, you must have a really good hand – nobody's been able to beat Matt all night!" Joe remarked, the excitement upon his face quite evident as he and Izzy exchanged glances.

Smirking, Tai returned, "I'm feelin' pretty lucky, I guess…no shame in raising the stakes, right?"

"Right" Matt agreed, now mirroring his friend's smirk as he flung an arm warmly across Sora's shoulders. "So whatcha gonna raise, buddy? Two bucks?"

Tai snorted. "I was thinking something more along the lines of fifty. As I said, I'm feelin' pretty lucky."

"Must be" Matt replied matter-of-factly, his bottom lip protruding slightly as he nodded his compliance. "Alright then, let's see whatcha got."

Lying his cards down onto the table, Tai confidently returned, "A full house, my friend…read 'em and weep."

There came a succession of stunned "oohs" around the table before Matt chuckled, admonishing smugly, "Now, now, my friends, don't start celebrating just yet. I just so happen to have a royal flush."

_"What?_ No way!" Tai exclaimed, his eyes widening once his gaze rested upon the cards in question. "How the heck is it possible for you to win _seven times_ _in a row!?"_

"Oh, it's possible" Izzy assured him before taking hold of Matt's winning hand. "There, you see? He's got an Ace, a Jack, two Kings, a-"

"Wait!" Tai shouted, now leaping up from the table amidst his sudden excitement, "There can't _be_ two Kings! Goddammit, Matt, I bet you've been suckering us out of our hard-earned money all night!"

Matt blinked. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, now_ wait_ a minute…are you calling me a cheater?"

"Hell yes, you're a cheater! You cheat in poker almost as good as you cheat on your wife!"

Gasping at this revealing admission, Sora frantically looked about at her stunned friends, her cheeks growing hot the moment Izzy demanded, "Oh my God, Matt, is it really true? Have you been playing the field behind Sora's back?"

"Hell yes, it's true! Matt was screwing my woman for a whole three months and still _would_ be if it weren't for the fact that she's dead now!" Tai hollered, soundly striking the tabletop with his fist in order to expurgate his inner frustrations. "Hell, he's _already_ got a beautiful woman that's fun and smart right in front of him, but apparently that's not good enough – he has to ruin everyone else's lives, too!"

"Why you backstabbing son of a bitch!" Matt snarled, Sora abruptly crying out as he leapt up from his seat and smashed his beer can against the tabletop. "If you're gonna accuse me out in the open like that, at least be a man about it and own up to your own faults!"

Tai snorted. "What the hell are you talking about? I never did anything wrong to Mimi!"

"Oh, yes you did! Do you honestly think she was blind to how you look at my wife?" Matt demanded, his eyes now an electric blue due to his outer seething. "Don't you think she could tell by how you talked to Sora and by how tenderly you touched her that she was always going to be second best? Fuck, man, Mimi pointed it all out to me…you've been wanting to score with my wife all these years, but now that I know what's going on it's never gonna happen – she belongs to _me!"_

"Belongs to _you?"_ Tai reiterated, by this point beyond miffed. "Since when is Sora some emotionless object to own? Only a _real_ man would know the difference between a trophy wife and his true love!"

"Why you _smarmy_ little-"

"Stop it!" Sora screamed, by now in tears, "Both of you just _stop_ it!"

Matt immediately shook his head. "Sorry babe, but he's gone way too far this time – I refuse to sit back and watch him fantasize about you spreadin' your legs for him any longer!"

_"Spreading her legs?"_ Tai repeated, his features contorting along with his complete shock. "By God, of course _you_ would be the one to suggest such a horrendous thing! I'll openly admit that I have strong feelings for your wife, Matt, but none of them involve the bedroom since I actually view Sora as a woman opposed to some object!"

That did it. In a flash of coruscating silver, Matt thrust his arm out across the table and toward Tai's midsection, Sora screaming bloody murder the moment copious amounts of scarlet burst forth from the area of sudden attack and splattered haphazardly about the card table.

Choking, Tai staggered forward and fell against his chair, the metal furniture toppling over in accordance with his efforts to stand as Joe and Izzy frantically rushed over to his side.

"Oh my God, man, are you ok!?" Joe demanded, completely aghast as he happened to glance down at the pocketknife protruding from his friend's stomach.

When Tai merely nodded in return Izzy exclaimed, "C'mon you guys, we gotta get him to the hospital – it's deep enough that he could actually die!"

Gasping, Sora went to go to her friend, but Matt cruelly held her back, his tone completely cold and vindictive as he snarled, "He'll be fine, Sora…there's no way in Hell I'm gonna lose you to some half-witted jerk-off!"

"Get the hell off me, you lunatic!" Sora screamed, only to immediately receive a vicious slap to the face.

"Don't you dare call me a lunatic when I did this for you!" Matt growled, completely ignoring his friends as they watched on in mute horror. "Do you think that I actually _like_ the thought of stabbing someone? He's trying to get in your pants, Sora! You can't trust him!"

"Well from the looks of things it's _you_ who I can't trust!" Sora wailed, the tears now freely streaming down her cheeks as she tried her best to wriggle out of his demanding grasp. "Please let me go, Matt…we need to get Tai to a hospital!"

"Ooh, I see now…you _do_ care more about his well-being than mine!" the blonde brusquely accused, his grip on her arms only tightening along with his rising resentment. "Lucky for me, I've got a little method to get that scumbag outta your head for a good while. C'mon, babe, we're goin' into the next room."

Screaming, Sora frantically kicked and bit at her husband as he effortlessly tossed her up and over his shoulder, both Izzy and Joe now completely torn over which friend they should assist as Tai weakly tried to stand.

"Let her…_go"_ he rasped, the rage in his eyes surprising Matt as he pivoted about on his heel due to the unanticipated request.

Instead of replying, however, the blonde haughtily stalked over to Tai and socked him square across the jaw, Sora crying out as she watched her friend fall lifelessly back into the security of Joe and Izzy's arms in a limp, semi-conscious heap.

Before the designer could even think to call out to him, however, Matt had already slammed the door shut behind them and thrown her down onto their couch amidst his fury.

"Now" he began, slowly undoing the button to his pants, "let the lessons begin."

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"Ah, she's finally coming to! Give her room, my boy, give her room!"

Groaning, the woman in question slowly opened her eyes, their soft depths hazily resting upon two men in rather curious clothing. Finally gaining the courage to speak she rasped, "You…d-do you know where I am?"

"Why, you're here at Base 66592, of course!" the eldest of the men jovially revealed, the wrinkles around his eyes creasing in accordance with his excitement as he politely held out his hand for her to accept. "I'm Paul Weathers, by the way, and this here's my son, Damien – it's a great pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Ms. Mimi Tachikawa."

Shocked, the young woman audibly gasped. "H-how did you know my name? How did I even _get _here!?"

"Now, now, don't fret, my dear…my son found you washed ashore and brought you back here to care for you. Although it's completely against regulations to bring in an outsider, we couldn't very well just leave you out there to die" Paul explained, his warm features softening as he gave her hand a gentle pat. "You don't know how much of a relief it is to finally see you alive and well – you've been out cold for at least an entire week, now."

Mimi blinked, her head beginning to pound in step with this monumental confession. She'd been unconscious for nearly an entire _week?_ But what about Matt? And what about her wedding with Tai? Oh, she hoped that things hadn't gone completely askew without her!

_"Ma'am?"_

She abruptly looked up, only to come to the realization that Damien had been addressing her. Shakily sitting upright, she finally managed to stammer, "Y-yes?"

Smiling, Damien returned, "Here on base it's time to eat breakfast, so I'd be more than honored if you would care to join us. Shall I tell the cook to expect you?"

Mimi opened her mouth to decline, only to immediately feel her stomach give a violently contradictory rumble.

Laughing, Damien returned warmly, "Alright, then…come with me, my dear Ms. Tachikawa."

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Trembling and weeping silently into the security of her pillow, Sora tried her best to ignore the possessive arm about her waist due to the new and unpleasant memories that it conjured.

After Izzy and Joe had left for the hospital, Matt had forced himself on her in a demanding and highly frightening manner, his twisted reasoning being that it was for her own good.

Although Tai was the initial cause of this sexual abuse, Sora couldn't help but think that if he were her husband, he would most certainly respect her enough to believe the reality that she wasn't an adulterer. He wouldn't try to fuck the memory of her best friend away, nor would he beat her and call her a good-for-nothing tramp.

Biting her lip, Sora brushed away her tears and curled up into the fetal position, the tenderness in between her legs still quite colossal and excruciating to the point of maximum discomfort.

Oh, _why_ didn't Matt believe her? Why couldn't he just accept the fact that Tai was her best friend and, in so being, she would always be ridiculously close to him?

After all, so what if he was handsome? So _what_ if she often found herself having more fun with him than her own husband? She still loved Matt more than anything, didn't she?

And then she suddenly knew the truth: she didn't know anymore.

**A/N:** Bum bum bummm! LoL Yep, Mimi's back into the picture – you didn't see that one coming, right:) Next chapter Sora's relationship with Matt and Tai will become even more strained when she sneaks off to visit Tai in the hospital, light will be shed onto where Mimi is currently located, and someone will find out about Sora's secret. Yay. :) REVIEW, PLEASE!!! I feel underappreciated. :( lol


	8. Can't Hide the Lies

**CH 8: Can't Hide the Lies**

Ever since Sora could remember she had always hated hospitals. They were cold, sterile, and constantly reeked of the promise of unforeseen death. And oddly enough, in spite of all this there she was, a grim smile on her face as she stood outside of Tai's assigned room and inwardly cursed herself for being a terrible wife.

Matt had completely forbidden her to ever visit Tai at the hospital under _any_ circumstances, but how could she just ignore the blatant fact that she was the sole reason why he was there in the first place? She could never just leave him there while she got to run free on God's creation, so she soon realized that the only guaranteed remedy for her guilt was to check in on him, if only for a moment.

"Mrs. Ishida? Mr. Kamiya is able to see you now."

Sora looked up with a start, only to find herself face-to-face with a plump nurse in about her early forties. Shakily re-adjusting the strap to her purse the redhead gave a meek "thank you" in return, her posture becoming extremely rigid the moment she found herself crossing the forbidden threshold over into her best friend's room.

_"Tai?"_ Sora ventured, immediately cringing at what she saw.

There, lying helpless with tubes and IVs snaking into his arms was her best friend, the veins of each of his appendages appearing to be swollen and visible due to the medicinal effects of the night before.

When Sora called to him again Tai finally opened his eyes, a large grin splitting his face as he wearily reached out a shaking hand to her blurry form. "Y-you came…the others said you wouldn't, but…you did."

"Of course I came, Tai" the designer insisted, suddenly overcome with a vast amount of hurt due to her friends' rather offensive assumption. "You should know by now that nothing can ever keep me from being with my best friend…we're like family."

Tai looked as if he wanted to grin, yet the expression of happiness immediately died upon his lips the moment he noticed the bluish-gray bruise beneath Sora's left eye. "He hit you" he whispered, his eyes flashing dangerously amidst his sudden accusation.

Sora jumped as her hand immediately flew in front of the offending area, the tremors of her voice quaking and soft as she weakly assured him, "No, Tai…I-I was really clumsy this morning and I ran into a door."

"With your _cheek?_ Sora, why are you lying to me?" Tai demanded, clearly angry that she thought him that ignorant. "I saw how Matt was behaving yesterday, and for that I think you should press charges!"

Now it was Sora's turn to be angry, her voice steadily rising as she hissed, "Matt is my _husband,_ Tai! I can't just do that to him when my beating was justifiable!"

"And when the fuck is hitting a woman _ever_ justifiable!?" Tai snarled, the rate of his heart rapidly ascending on his monitor as he struck the bed with his fist. "I mean, my _God,_ will you listen to yourself? You're defending the creep that not only cheated on you without a care, but also beat you into submission! That is _not_ love, Sora! When will you realize that I love you with no strings attached? I don't care about your money or even your celebrity status…I just want you and _only_ you."

Sora's eyes filled up with tears after he said this, her heart heavy as she hissed, "You know you're no better than Matt, Tai, so I really wish you'd stop acting like your heaven sent! You claim my husband's an adulterer, yet you're trying to get me to do the same thing and you _know_ I can't! If you really had any respect for me at all you'd leave Matt and I the hell alone!"

Silence suddenly filled the room like a suffocating blanket, Tai's gaze hard and his jaw firmly set as he finally demanded, "And why, exactly, did you come if you were just going to attack me for caring, Sora? Why in God's name are you here when you clearly don't even give two shits about my thoughts and _my_ feelings? Did it ever even occur to you that maybe I was actually _worried?"_

Sora snorted. "There was nothing to worry about and you know it, Tai."

_"Bull crap!_ I tossed and turned last night since all I could think about was what that creep was doing to you!"

Biting her lip, the redhead resentfully looked away from her friend as memories of herself and Matt resurfaced within her mind like a vicious slap to the face, the tears she could no longer fend off now streaming down her cheeks as she regarded Tai with large, fearful eyes. "You may be right about Matt" she agreed, "but whether you like it or not, Tai, I _need_ him. He and I are the perfect balance for one another since he's the yin to my yang...without each other we're incomplete. Don't you see that Matt's just worried that he's going to lose me, Tai? Can you _really_ blame him for reacting in the way he did when you completely betrayed his trust?"

Tai peevishly folded his arms. "You mean just like the time he completely betrayed _my_ trust when he stole you?"

Sora groaned, yet she purposely ignored his comment. Needless to say, she had had it up to here with his 'poor me' sentiments and negative remarks, so she knew that the only right thing to do at the present moment was leave.

Haughtily rising from her perch, the designer hurriedly stalked over to the door and prepared to leave when Tai suddenly called out to her. Frustrated, she gave a fierce _"what?",_ only to feel her malice die upon her tongue the moment she noticed his dejected disposition.

Smiling wearily in response, Tai gently assured her, "I just wanted you to know that I love you enough to let go, Sora…all I want is for you to be happy."

Wincing, the redhead hurriedly ducked out of the room and shut the door, for she knew that if she had stayed a moment longer she would've changed her mind.

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"Wow, this place is _beautiful!_ I can't wait to see what kind of malls you guys have here!"

Damien laughed at Mimi's joyful expression, only to immediately apologize, "I'm very sorry, but here at the base we don't have any unnecessary luxuries. I'm afraid that the only things we are aloud to have here are those that are essential to survival."

_"What!?"_ Mimi shrieked, the color rapidly draining from her pallid cheeks. "I _need_ malls to survive…surely a fellow woman in this Godforsaken place can feel my pain!"

Damien forced a weak smile. "I'm very sorry, Miss Tachikawa, but the women and men here all share the exact same sentiment when it comes to frivolous desires."

_"Frivolous!?"_ Mimi reiterated, clearly astounded, "Since when are designer shoes and accessories _frivolous!?_ I live and _breathe_ Gucci and Vera Wang, Damien, so surely you can understand how these items are dire to my very survival!"

Chuckling, the dark-haired young man took her by the arm and led her over a few yards toward a large clearing, its lush expanse filled with bountiful verdant blooms and colorful assortments of blossoms that stretched to as far as the eye could see. Upon witnessing Mimi's awed expression Damien explained, "You must understand that if we were to have malls and grocery stores here, we would need to build over top of all this glorious beauty. Our purpose here on base is to prove that the human race can survive most _definitely_ without the technology we've spoiled ourselves with over the years. My father and I are only a small fraction of the inhabitants that hope to make a difference for the environment…if you'd like, you can join us."

Mimi wrinkled her nose in disgust, never being one to adore stuffy environmentalists nor angry protestors. For this reason it was truly no surprise when she airily returned, "I'm sorry, Damien, but nature isn't exactly my thing. I mean, if I _really_ wanted to go hug a tree, I'd rather do so on the streets of New York."

"We're not tree huggers, you know" the young man hotly shot back, his voice clearly reflecting his vast amount of hurt. "All we're really trying to do is help preserve the beauty that's fading so fast here on this planet. Haven't you ever seen something so beautiful that it made your heart ache? That you just wanted to experience it _forever?"_

Mimi was about to deny ever having such a feeling, but before she could even open her mouth Matt's handsome visage stubbornly nudged its way within the recesses of her mind. Matt, she realized, was her beautiful something, and it was _he_ that she wanted to experience everlastingly.

Looking up at Damien with a small smile she finally relented, "Well yes, I guess you're right…some things _are_ painfully beautiful in this world." Glancing about her she quickly added, "And I don't mean to be rude or anything, but the only 'beautiful pain' that I'm _really_ having right now is the one in my stomach. Do you have anything to eat?"

Laughing, Damien warmly took her by the hand and nodded, the sun brightly shining upon them as the two began the breath-taking journey back to camp.

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Kari Kamiya anxiously wrapped her arms about herself with the hopes of keeping warm, her brown eyes darting about nervously as she took in the sterility of the completely unfriendly hospital. It wasn't that she was entirely unwilling to be there – it was quite the opposite, in fact – but it was just that ever since she was a child she had had a close brush with death after being rushed to the ER with a high fever. For this very reason even the sight of doctors unnerved the poor girl, so now that her older brother was knocking on heaven's door she was feeling very unwelcome and very familiar emotions.

Just as Kari moved to round the bend of the hallway, she froze, her large eyes widening once she took in the sight of an unfamiliar nurse and Sora Ishida.

_'What's she doing with those pills?'_ Kari wondered, her brows drawing inward as she strained to listen.

"And you promise to take all your pills this time, Mrs. Ishida?"

"Yes, yes, of course…I'm really sorry about all of this, Nurse Jayne. Dr. Himoto acted as if I'd be fine without them, so I got rid of the remainder of the bottle earlier this week."

There came a light tsk, then, "Mrs. Ishida, you _know_ how important taking those pills is for your health! If I have to page Dr. Himoto to come down here and discuss the direness of your situation, he'll flip a lid!"

Kari overheard Sora give a condescending "I won't", then the familiar sound of high heels followed immediately after and appeared to be clip-clopping off in the direction of the OR.

Realizing her chance, Kari hurriedly rushed out from behind her hiding spot just as Sora turned in order to make her leave.

Gasping, the older woman leapt back as if shocked beyond all belief, her face paler than death as she shrieked, "K-Kari! I-I mean…how _are _you?"

Kari's eyes immediately narrowed. "Don't play innocent with me, Sora, because I know what's going on. In fact, maybe I should just go ahead and tell my big brother. He deserves to know, don't you think?"

"No, Kari, _please_ don't tell him! I'd die if he knew!" Sora wailed, now taking the younger adult by the arms before giving her a frantic shake. "If you promise to keep quiet I swear that I'll give you anything you want!"

Kari gave her a miserable look before returning, "Well unless you can mend my big brother's heart, I'm afraid that I can't keep your promise, Sora."

The designer released the girl as if she'd been burned, her heart heavy within her bosom as she sorrowfully whispered, "You _know_ I can't, Kari."

"Then good-bye…I really need to visit him now" the brunette solemnly mumbled, her eyes hollow and dark as she turned in order to make her leave.

As Sora watched after her she felt as if all the walls were suddenly caving in, her world spinning madly about her the moment she found herself hazily toppling over and painting out in a tremendous sea of black.

**A/N:** Whew, sorry for taking so much longer than I thought, but for some reason I couldn't get past the first scene. :-/ I'm also not really sure why I chose to have Mimi end up on an island with a bunch of scientists, but I figured that it was much more original than waking up with a tribe, right:) lol Anywhos, Kari finally knows about Sora's secret – not the whole truth, mind you, but she's discovered something that can potentially ruin her relationships with all of her loved ones. I'm not exactly sure when the end of this will be, but I guess maybe five more chapters at the most. Please review! ;0P


	9. It's Not Over

**A/N:** Hey, guys! I just wanted everyone to know that I am NOT dead, I just lost my latest chapter somewhere on my computer, and because of that I lost inspiration for quite some time...as you're well aware, eheh. But no, I DO promise thatI WILL finish, I just don't know when or how since I've got all these dagburn midterms and other "fun stuff", and whenever I can get my act together, I promise I'll post. And hopefully it'll be worth the wait, cuz there'll be a lemon...yeehaw! lol Love you guys!

Evelyn


	10. Facing Reality

**A/N****: **Holy crap! I am soooo sorry, but it takes me forever and a year to write love scenes, so guess what THIS chapter has? LoL

**WARNING**: There's a very adult (I guess? I've been told it's very adult) lemon here, so if that sort of thing offends you, please get out of the pool now! I will not be throwing you a life vest!

**CH 0: Facing Reality**

It wasn't until an entire week had passed that Tai was finally released from the hospital, yet the moment he exited those double doors he somehow seemed a better and different man.

For one thing, he no longer regarded Sora with saddened eyes, nor did he beg to meet with her in private. It was because of this that the redhead knew he'd kept his promise, and yet somehow…she was discontented by this.

This same discontent was what initially kept Sora from enjoying her meal at Biggie's Burgers that evening, yet what was _truly_ aggravating her was the way Tai had come with her and Matt on terms of reconciliation, only to flirt with the flighty waitress the moment she took their order. What kind of resolution was _that?_

As if reading her mind (only in a far different manner), Matt suddenly spoke up from her side, "It's really something, isn't it?"

"What is?" Sora demanded, her eyes narrowing as she continued to watch Tai flirt with the waitress at the bar.

Not noticing his wife's sullen demeanor, Matt explained, "Well Tai, of course - he's actually playing the field again, and it's only been a full week!"

Sora snorted. "Well good for him…since when are we keeping tabs on his life?"

"What is _with_ you, today?" Matt demanded, eyeing her strangely before arching a brow. "I thought you'd be happy that he's finally out of our lives!"

"Well of _course_ I am! It's just that…well…I don't really feel like hearing about him right now…"

"Of course you don't" Matt agreed, finally appearing to be satisfied with his wife's response. Slinging an arm across Sora's shoulders, he added, "Wanna make him jealous and go make-out by the bathrooms?"

Sora was absolutely revolted by this childish idea, yet the moment she laid her eyes on Tai and the giggling waitress, she couldn't help but nod. "Alright" she agreed, "let's go."

0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000

Staring blankly ahead at the ceiling, Tai continued to lie stretched across his couch with one arm slung over his face. He'd been lying like that for hours now, all the while contemplating Sora, Matt, and life in general.

He didn't quite understand it, but just when he thought he'd finally gotten over Sora, he saw her kissing Matt and felt all of his previous jealousy resurface. Surely he didn't need her after she had flat out rejected him!

And yet…he did.

Sighing, Tai moved to sit up just as a knock came at the door, his brows drawing inward as he glanced at the clock over the mantle. It was one in the morning!

Grumbling to himself about visitors coming at ungodly hours, Tai shuffled over to the door before swinging it open, his words of malice immediately dying upon his tongue once he realized who it was. "Sora?" he choked, "W-what are you doing here? I thought we both agreed to cool things off for a while…"

"Hello, Tai" she greeted, completely ignoring his questions, altogether as she bestowed him with a surprisingly warm smile. "Do you mind if I come in for a bit? I've got something really important that I'd like to discuss with you."

Tai soured. "What, and it couldn't wait until later? It's one o' clock in the morning, Sora!"

"I came to apologize…and to tell you I was wrong" she insisted, the pleading look in her eyes causing Tai's heart to skip a beat.

"A-about what? Matt?"

"Everything" she whispered, her eyes filling up with tears as she slowly entered the room and sunk back against the door. "You have _no_ idea how much I've been warring with myself over this, but ever since I saw you flirting with that waitress yesterday, I realized that my feelings for you must be a lot more serious than I originally thought. I…I can't imagine my life without you…"

Tai snorted. "What, so now you think you can just come waltzing back into my life when I've finally managed to give you up?"

"Well no, but-"

"Do you _actually_ think that I'm willing to let you walk all over my heart again like it's a frickin' doormat!?"

"NO! I just…" Sora faltered, her shoulders slumping over in defeat before she solemnly shook her head. "Just forget it, Tai…you're right. I was stupid to expect you to forgive me, so I-I'll just go ahead and leave."

Tai balked. _"What?_ Oh, no you don't, Sora! I'm tired of your goddamn mind games – if you really want me, I need you to tell me the truth right now or else I'll never let you near me, again! I can't take this, anymore!"

Lowering her fiery gaze, Sora returned darkly, "You're so cocky to actually believe that this is all about you, Tai – I never wanted to accept that you were nothing but a low, self-absorbed jerk who preys on the feelings of those who give a damn, but I guess I was right! I hate myself for ever caring about you, because you don't even seem to care that I'm in agony over this!"

"Oh, you poor thing… Haven't you ever stopped to think about what _you've_ done_,_ Sora?" Tai counterattacked. "Last time I checked, manipulative women who string unsuspecting men along for the ride were nothing but cheap whores! I was in love with you, but you never did anything to my heart but toy with it and see what foolish mistakes I'd make next!"

Sora immediately looked away. "Stop it, Tai…you're kidding yourself if you actually think I didn't make any sacrifices for you, too."

"Yeah, I'll bet you were a _real_ saint" Tai scoffed, not even giving her the common courtesy of eye contact as he stubbornly turned toward the fireplace. Truly tired of their argument, he spoke up again, "You know what? Maybe you really _should_ leave…I'm tired and I just wanna go to bed."

Hurt, Sora somehow managed to reach out and touch Tai's shoulder, her voice soft and filled with unshed tears as she ventured, "I don't really care if you believe me or not, Tai, but I did all of this for you. I-I never wanted us to get too close because of my…well…never mind."

Tai gave her a disbelieving look. "God, that is _so_ like you… First you tease me, then you yank whatever little hope I have left right out from under my feet! If you _really _loved me, Sora, you'd just come out and say it instead of being such a goddamned coward!"

Sora looked away from his searching eyes before returning, "I-I should probably just go before I end up doing something we both regret…"

"Or something that's meant to be" Tai promptly shot back, the warmth in his eyes causing an inexplicable ache to form within her womb as he reached out and caressed the slope of her cheek. "I'll die if I never get to hold you, Sora, so unless you leave now, I…I might not be able to control myself any longer."

Sora hitched in a bated breath at these words, her voice quivering with emotion as she whispered, "I hope you won't."

Tai appeared to be considerably taken aback by her response, his hands trembling at his sides as he choked out, "I…_what?"_

"I hope you won't be able to help yourself" Sora explained, her own inner feelings causing her to feel just as surprised as her friend. What had come over her? She normally didn't behave this way with men at _all!_ In fact, all of her past relationships had been rather dull since she'd just sit around with them and play video games, but this… She held her breath. _This_ truly excited her and evoked an inner passion that had been lying dormant, forever waiting for the one soul who could possibly bring her to her knees. At last she had found him, and now that she had, she realized that she was no longer afraid.

Taking Sora by the arms, Tai met with her gaze and caused her knees to feel incredibly weak, his voice soft as he returned "As long as I get to hold you just once, I can die happy, so if this is what you want…I have no objection."

"Tai" Sora gasped breathlessly in return, a defeated whimper escaping her lips the moment he hungrily sought her mouth with his own. The kiss was short, yet enticingly brutal, Sora's fingers lacing their way through Tai's dark hair as he forcefully rejoined his mouth to hers and maneuvered her so that she was pressed flat against the wall.

"Tai" Sora whimpered yet again, her voice quivering with anxiety, "W-what if-?"

"Ssh" he entreated, kissing his way down the slope of her chin, "I'll protect you…nothing will happen as long as I'm around."

Crushing his mouth back against hers, Tai stroked Sora's lips with his tongue as she released a pitiful whine from the back of her throat. Burrowing her fingers deep within his hair, she broke free of his kiss and panted against the warm satin of his lips as if suddenly questioning their actions.

"Maybe we shouldn't" she whispered, her eyes closing when Tai grasped at her bottom. "Really, we...I..." Gasping, Sora fought off a small moan when he rocked his hips forward and pressed his desire needily against her belly, her eyes locking with his before he crashed his mouth forcefully against her own and hurriedly unfastened the front of her blouse.

"Don't" Sora pleaded, her mind reeling amidst her impassioned haze, "Please...y-you should stop."

"I can't" Tai panted, "I swear, I can't..."

Gasping for breath, Sora met with Tai's lips again and again as both inadvertently battled for dominance, both lovers giving a resigned moan the moment their hips molded snugly together amidst their frantic efforts to get closer.

Running the fire of his tongue along Sora's lips, Tai stripped her open blouse from her body and lifted her into his arms with a deep and needy desperation. Propping her back against the wall, Tai groaned when she melded her warm mouth to his and began to undress him, his hands shaking as he reached around behind her and unfastened her bra.

A guttural clap of thunder shook the apartment at the base, but the couple paid it little mind, Sora gasping when Tai lifted her into his arms and staggered with her petite form over toward the bed. Landing a top the scratchy sheets with a subtle bounce, Sora pulled Tai in for yet another bruising kiss before reaching for his belt. With trembling fingers, she undid the clasp and managed to push his pants down to his knees, her lover eagerly kicking them off as he reached beneath her skirt and grasped at the hem of her pantyhose.

Sora's lower extremities tingled with the excitement of him being so close to her aching point, her eyes closing once he rolled down the stockings and feverishly kissed his way up her inner thigh. Next came her skirt, and unintentionally with it her panties, Tai's form giving an involuntary shudder at the very sight of her. _God,_ she was beautiful, and painfully so - he'd never even dreamed that Sora would've consented to his touch, but now that she was...

Tai closed his eyes. He was almost afraid to open them in case Sora would disappear, but the moment he felt her soft, feather-light touch he instantly relaxed.

Kissing along the expanse of Tai's chest, Sora helped him out of his final article of clothing so that they were now embracing in the nude, Sora's eyes fluttering closed once she felt him press needily against her welcoming body.

Gasping his name, Sora breathlessly arched up against Tai when she felt him take one hardened nipple into the warm cavern of his mouth, her nails scouring his back as she inwardly pleaded for more.

Despite the searing pain from Sora's administrations, Tai eagerly kissed down the smooth plane of her stomach and upper thigh, his arousal so great that he truly felt as if he could weep. He wanted to taste her, but by God, the desire to be granted release was currently overriding every other carnal need. With trembling limbs, he pulled her into his arms so that she was sitting with her legs on either side of his hips, his mouth ghosting against hers as he felt her shaking beneath him.

Sora seemed to sense Tai's anguish and allowed her thighs to part in sweet surrender, her soft body gradually sinking down onto his shaft to the point where she knew there was no turning back. Biting back a scream of pleasure-pain, Sora forced herself down to the hilt, a soft gasp escaping her lips as Tai nuzzled her neck and moaned against the heated flesh of her shoulder.

Easing back up his length, Sora gave a gratified shudder before managing to create a delectable rhythm between them, her lips meeting with his in a demanding kiss as their tongues battled for dominance.

Grunting, Tai forced Sora down onto her back so that she was pinned helplessly beneath him, his hands fisting the sheets as he drove his hips forward and moaned wantonly in her ear. "Oh, God, Sora" he gasped, "Oh, _God..."_

Cutting him off with a slow and drugging kiss, the designer forced them to roll over before Tai righted them back to their original position, his eyes squeezing shut as he grasped her by the hips and came in a rush of liquid fire. Echoing his lustful shout, Sora wound her legs about his hips as she began to drift down from the post-coital bliss, her forehead gently touching his as they both continued to pant heavily.

Tai wanted to say something - hell, he felt like he _needed_ to after all that had just transpired, yet somehow all words completely failed him. When Sora looked at him in that special way with her eyes, he found that he couldn't think straight...couldn't function...

"Oh, Sora" he whispered, "you've made me so happy…"

Wordlessly tucking her head beneath Tai's chin, Sora felt tears forming along her lashes as she embraced him with a sense of desperation that he did not catch. Sooner or later she needed to tell him her secret, and what better time than that moment?


	11. The Truth Hurts

**A/N****: **First of all, wow...just wow. I REALLY fail at life. lol I haven't updated this in about four years, if not more, and for that I'm sorry. I was just distracted by real life (you know, that annoying thing that always gets in the way?), and I didn't have much time for writing like I did in college. I know that's no excuse, and I probably lost the majority of my readership, but I want you to know that I DO want to continue this. Taiora is the first couple I ever shipped (about 14 years ago!), so I have a special place for them in my heart.**  
**

Anywhos, you guys will FINALLY find out Sora's secret in this chapter, so hopefully it's not too disappointing. Sorry for making you wait so dang long! I know if I were you, I'd be pretty darn upset! But with that said, enjoy! ;)

**CH 10: The Truth Hurts**

_Safe._ That was the one word that resounded over and over inside Sora's mind, and as she tucked her head beneath Tai's chin, she knew then that she wouldn't have done anything differently. Tai, she realized, had always fully understood her. And what's more, Tai actually _loved_ her.

With tears coming to her eyes, she clutched his lithe frame until he gave a groggy, yet laughter-filled, "Ow... What have you been doing all night, lifting weights?"

Embarrassed, Sora released him and looked up into his amused gaze, his hand brushing back her hair as he kissed her forehead.

With a lump forming in her throat, she feebly choked out, "Oh, Tai, I...I don't deserve you..."

"Hm?" Pulling away in confusion, he couldn't help but grin as he teased, "What, so cuddling is above and beyond what you deserve? Don't be silly, Sora."

"No, it's just that I...I..." Trailing off, she bowed her head and swallowed back her nausea. She had to tell him the truth - it wasn't fair to keep him in the dark any longer, and he _deserved_ to know what had inevitably destroyed their relationship as children.

But with Tai staring at her with such warmth - such _love_ - she was finding it very difficult to form her thoughts into words. How could she break his heart? How could she even _think_ of destroying what they'd worked so hard to rekindle?

Releasing a breath she wasn't aware of having held, Sora took Tai's hands in hers and smiled weakly. By now there were tears in her eyes, and she wilted beneath his gaze as he immediately grew concerned.

"Sora? Hey c'mon, what's wrong? You don't regret what's happened between us, do you?"

"No," she miserably choked out, "never that, I just...just..."

"What, then?"

"Oh, Tai... This is all such a mess!" Burying her face against his chest, the redhead wept with a bitterness attributed to her long-kept secret. With her hands curling in between them, she sniffed and managed to whisper, "I'm sorry for everything, Tai... I never meant to hurt you. I _know_ I should've chosen you over Matt, but I was so scared!"

Beyond confused, Tai forced her to return his gaze as he demanded, "What's all this about, huh? You're not making much sense, and you're beginning to scare me..."

"It's always been you, Tai," Sora answered just as cryptically. _"Always._ I never loved Matt - at least, not in the way a woman _should_ love a man - but I chose him since I didn't want to put you through any pain." Now placing her hands on his shoulders, her eyes grew sorrowful as she confessed, "The week I chose Matt, I found out something that drove me away from you. I never wanted to tell anyone since I was afraid they'd tell you everything, but somehow Matt was able to guess...and since he seemed so calm about the whole thing, I just went ahead and decided to be with him, instead. I knew that Matt wouldn't care too much if I...if I were to..."

_"What?"_ Tai pressed, his features almost haggard due to his nerves. "C'mon, Sor, this isn't fair... Stop being so goddamn evasive!"

Bursting into fresh tears, Sora covered her face and wailed, "Oh Tai, I'm _dying!_ Why do you think Matt and I never had children? I _love_ kids, but I could never bring them into the world when I had such a close expiration date!"

Tai felt as if a ton of bricks had been dropped onto his chest, his breathing heavy and labored as he accused, "No... You're lying..."

"Oh Tai, I wish that were true, but-"

"You're _lying,_ damn you!" Now leaping out of the bed, Tai felt his chin tremble as he fought back the tears that so desperately yearned to escape. Sora..._dying?_ It didn't make any sense!

Desperate to prove her wrong, he choked out, "How can you be sick when you seem so healthy? I've never seen you weak in my life!"

Sora gave a feeble laugh. "Remember in high school when I used to faint and get sick every once in a while?"

Tai faltered, suddenly remembering. "Well yeah, but-"

"That was a symptom - I had to take medication to keep up my strength. I...I have a rare blood disease."

Tai couldn't believe what he was hearing, his tone strained as he demanded, "Well why the hell did you want to keep this from the people who love you, huh? That's not fair!"

Sora swallowed. "Well, I...I didn't want to hurt anyone..."

"Are you _shitting_ me? Sora, it hurts _far_ worse to know you lied to me! I mean, c'mon! All this time I could've actually been spending time with you instead of holding you at arm's length! You cheated me of being with you!"

Sora winced, her bottom lip quivering. "W-well yes, but...but would you have _really_ wanted to marry a terminally ill girl?"

"I've never loved anyone but you," Tai feverishly assured her, "so I really wish you'd have let _me_ decide what I can and cannot handle."

Sora ducked her head and pressed it against her palms. Oh God, how could she have been so blind? She gave up her one chance of true happiness, and for what? A stupid _hunch?_

_'No,' _ Sora dejectedly realized, _'it's because I was afraid Tai would turn me away...that he wouldn't love me anymore.'_

Feeling her lover's hands on her shoulders, she raised her tear-stained gazed and felt her heart clench at the mixture of love, sorrow, and hurt in his eyes. "Tai, I never meant-"

"Shh," he gently cut in, wrapping her in his arms as he pressed his cheek to hers. "This won't be so bad, you'll see... Heck, maybe you'll even get better! And then when you've regained your strength, we can go anywhere - and I mean anywhere in the world you want!"

Sora laughed, yet it was devoid of all mirth. "Oh Tai, even in the grimmest of times you're such an optimist... I've always loved that about you."

"I've always loved that about me, too," he teased, desperately hoping to lighten the mood. Now stroking her cheek, he murmured, "I'll always be here for you, ok? Never doubt that."

Interlocking her hand with his, she gave a tearful, "I know you will," and pressed her forehead to his.

* * *

"Tai? You in here?"

Craning her head to listen, Kari frowned when her big brother didn't come out to greet her. He'd left his front door unlocked which, in itself was a tad odd, yet his car was out in the front lot, so she knew that he had to be home.

"Tai? C'mon, I know you're in here..."

There came a low and feeble moan in response, followed by a sniff that immediately brought a pang of fear to Kari's breast.

"Tai?"

Rushing toward the noise in question, she soon found herself standing inside her brother's bedroom. The premises were ransacked - an overturned bookcase here, and a pile of clothes there - and Kari's heart clenched when she beheld her brother sprawled out across the floor.

"She's gone," he moaned, "oh God, she's _gone!"_

Dropping down to her knees, Kari scooped Tai into her lap the best she could and stroked his hair, her brows furrowing when she noticed the tears streaming down his cheeks. "C'mon, big brother, what's wrong? _Who's_ gone?"

"Sora," he whispered, his eyes so blank that his sister was frightened. "She...she's dying..." Upon hearing his own declaration, Tai dropped his head back into Kari's lap and sobbed anew, his hands fisting her skirt like a frightened child.

The desperate choking noises he made scared Kari, and she pressed her lips together as she tried her best not to cry. "I...I'll admit that I suspected, but I didn't want to say anything in case I was wrong," she mumbled, closing her eyes and heaving a breath. "You see, um...when we were at the hospital, I overheard her talking to a nurse about her medication."

Tai quivered, not seeming to have heard her. "What am I going to do, Kari? I can't lose her..."

Kari lowered her gaze, feeling powerless since she knew she couldn't feed him with lies to keep him hopeful. Still stroking his hair, she then decided to take a different approach. "Do you still love her?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

There came a sniff, then Tai miserably choked out, "More than anything else on this earth."

Kari sighed. "Then there's nothing else to do but stand by the woman you love... Fate will take care of the rest."

Somehow seeming appeased by this, Tai relaxed in Kari's arms and closed his eyes, his own nerves causing him to lose consciousness almost instantly.

**A/N**: Originally I was going to include Matt and Mimi in this chapter, but I decided I'd kept you guys waiting long enough. If I'd tried to add more to this chapter, it would've taken forever. lol


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